Graham Potter praises Chelsea youngster Omari Hutchinson after performance in friendly loss to Aston Villa
Chelsea manager Graham Potter has praised Omari Hutchinson after his performance in the 1-0 loss against Aston Villa in a friendly. The Blues took on Unai Emery’s team at Al-Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Sunday (11 December).
Scotland international John McGinn scored the only goal of the match in the seventh minute. Unfortunately, the Stamford Bridge side were unable to get back into the game.
Hutchinson played the full 90 minutes for us. Speaking after the fixture via transfer guru Fabrizio Romano on Twitter, Potter was left impressed with the youngster’s display. The gaffer was happy with the threat the playmaker posed going forward.
“Omari Hutchinson is really good. He has been really good, dangerous, asked a question all the time.”
The 19-year-old started his youth career at Chelsea. However, he left the club and was later signed by London rivals Arsenal. After spending several years with the Gunners, the Blues got him back in the recent transfer window.
In the current campaign, Hutchinson has primarily played for the reserve side. However, he has made the first-team bench on a few occasions this season. But the youngster is yet to make his competitive debut for the Stamford Bridge side.
The 19-year-old is a versatile player capable of playing in multiple positions. He has been deployed in the number 10 position and on the wings for our U21 team.
Chelsea let go of Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner and signed Raheem Sterling and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the summer of 2022 to bolster the front line. However, goalscoring has still been an evident issue for us in the current campaign.
The likes of Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic have been underwhelming. Our top goalscorer in the current campaign as of now is the former Manchester City winger, with five goals in all competitions.
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If the Blues are unable to bring in more firepower in January, it would be wise for Potter to give the youngsters a chance. Hutchinson is one of the brightest prospects at the club. But it remains to be seen whether the gaffer gives him more minutes in the second half of the season.